The Hindu Business Line : Naandi Foundation to revive 87 lift irrigation schemes

Hyderabad, June 26 Naandi Foundation, a voluntary organisation announced the extension of a revival scheme of lift irrigation (LI) projects to five more districts in Andhra Pradesh.

About 87 LI schemes would be taken up for revival in the five districts including Prakasam and Guntur, under the new scheme, according to Ms Neena Ambre Rao, National Director-Livelihoods, Naandi Foundation and Mr G Chandrasekhara Reddy, Managing Director and Vice Chairman, AP State Irrigation Development Corporation (APSIDC).

According to Ms Rao, the foundation, which provides safe drinking water and sanitation, child rights and sustainable livelihoods, was allotted the task of reviving 65 LI schemes in Anantapur, Khammam, Krishna, Kurnool, Mahbubnagar, Medak districts in the year 2003.

“Looking at the success in the first phase of projects that were allotted APSIDC had entrusted the fresh task in Phase Two of the project. The USP of Naandi was empowerment of the local community and bringing in a sense of proprietary among the villagers,” Ms Rao told newspersons.

Mr Reddy said that the initiative to revive defunct LI schemes had started in 2003, post an APSIDC survey that identified 632 schemes for revival at a cost of Rs 20 crores.

“Though the amount was sanctioned, the initiative did not go ahead as well as planned because of the restructuring of the corporation that saw it stripped of personnel,” he said.

Mr Reddy also said that under the circumstances, it was then decided that the public-private partnership would be ideal, a belief that was found correct later, given the fact that an impact study established that annual net agricultural income per household grew by 85.3 per cent and distress migration to urban areas had reduced by half.

“In many of the areas where LI schemes were revived, local committees were formed. We have also entered into annual maintenance contracts with local mechanics for keeping the pumps and motors in running condition,” Mr D.V. Rau, Project Manager-LI said.

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